Cavalier rip defensive juggernauts to shreds

Cavalier ripped apart the usually impregnable Dunbeholden defence for a 5-1 win in their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) game at Stadium East yesterday.

Goals from Kwayne Thompson (35th), Dwayne Allen (59th), Odane Wilberforce (73rd), an Odayne Pennicooke own goal (80th), and Jerome McCleary (90+1), sealed a convincing win for Rudolph Speid’s team.

Cavalier assistant coach David Laylor said after a slow start to the season, things were coming together for the team.

“To score five goals in a game at the Premier League level is a good thing. We still see a few flaws and things we have to adjust. So we still have work to do.

“We have some young players and we have been looking at them, and they are improving for the most part. The adjustment is making sense. It is working for us. So we will continue to play like this and see the result at the end of the day,” he said.

Cavalier asked all the early questions for the first 25 minutes, but never really created any telling opportunities — the closest, a shot from Kshaine Gordon that just whistled over the bar from 25 yards out.

Dunbeholden started to show some attacking initiative close to the half-hour mark, but they too had nothing clear-cut to capitalise on.

Cavalier regained the ascendancy soon after and took the lead after 35 minutes when Kwayne Thompson headed home from a corner, although there were initial doubts the ball had crossed the line before it was gathered by goalkeeper Jean-Luke Wilmott.

Despite making a positive start to the second half, Dunbeholden found themselves further behind after a delicious volley from Allen from 25 yards.

Cavalier came close to a third in the 67th minute when Wilmott spilled a corner, but Jeovanni Laing put the loose ball wide of the target.

The champions had another golden opportunity in the 73rd minute, but Wilmott blocked Adrian Reid’s effort.

However, Cavalier increased their lead from the same sequence of play, as Wilberforce stole possession and rounded Wilmott before sliding home the third.

Cavalier made it 4-0 in the 81st minute when Pennicooke turned home a left-sided cross from Christopher Ainsworth into his own goal.

Dunbeholden would get a goal back three minutes later through Stephen Barnett from the penalty spot, after Thompson handled the ball inside the area.

However, McCleary added another in time added for Cavalier, after he was left unmarked to tap home from four yards.

“We were flat today,” said Dunbeholden coach Damion Gordon. “Disappointing for us. We made some mistakes. Based on the game plan, we strayed away from that a little bit. Cavalier got the benefit of the set pieces and they were good in the transition,” he commented.

In the day’s other match, league leaders Montego Bay United blanked bottom-of-the-table Spanish Town Police 5-0 at Royal Lakes Complex.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

YESTERDAY’S GAMES

Cavalier 5-1 Dunbeholden

Spanish Town Police 0-5 MoBay Utd

TODAY’S GAMES

Chapelton vs Waterhouse at Turners Oval - 3 p.m.

Tivoli vs Racing at Edward Seaga Sports Complex - 3 p.m.

Portmore vs Molynes at Ferdi Neita Park - 3 p.m.

Harbour View vs Treasure Beach at Compound - 3 p.m.

Arnett vs Mount Pleasant at Anthony Spaulding - 7 p.m.